SAND & STARS
Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans is one of the most intriguing places on earth. Once a super-lake, it’s crusty flats are filled with salt, sand, sun and stones. People often call these bright white salt-scapes otherworldly or moon-like, but there is nowhere more African than the Makgadikgadi.
But perhaps the most extraordinary place of all is Kubu Island, a dry granite rock island located here – and this is exactly where you’re headed on this five-night expedition by quad bike. Standing sentinel across the sand and filled with baobabs larger than buses and older than Christ, the island is a holy secret of the Bushmen and a place of ancient power and ritual, and to visit is something truly special.
You will spend your first two nights at the iconic Jack’s Camp and soak up the magic of the Kalahari Desert on game drives, night drives and bushmen walks. Then, it’s time to hop aboard your quad bike and barrel across the expanse of scorched, white earth of the Makgadikgadi Pans. Travelling in convoy, Indian-fashion, ensures a low-impact trespass and you’ll leave no trace of your existence behind as you zoom towards Kubu Island and the open-air fly camp. So, what are you waiting for? Open throttle, close your eyes and travel; there’s absolutely nothing to crash into…